subject: Drug Addiction Can Cause Huge Problems With Families [print this page] Dependency on alcohol is really a serious problem, and according to the American Medical Association, it is also an illness. This is not a thing that might simply disappear without treatment. It has to be remedied as soon as possible and will also need a great deal of work as well as continual vigilance even subsequent to completing an alcohol rehab program to avoid any relapses.
Alcohol addiction is a chronic disease that cannot be healed in a single visit to a therapist. The procedure will be long and involved, and it can actually be painful, but the harm that a person does to his or her own body as well as to friends and family can be much worse.
Drug abuse and addiction literally triggers physical alterations in the human brain and body. Eventually a person begins to depend on these types of substances in order to sustain regular systemic functioning, and the mind won't know how to proceed not having it. That is why the very best alcohol rehab program will include a period of detoxification and a continuous support structure after the toxins are eliminated and the body starts to mend itself.
How do you know when a person should get into an alcohol rehab program? Alcohol usage is so widespread and commonplace that it may be hard for some people to understand that there is a problem. Is a friend that tends to consume too much on evenings out in trouble? Are a few glasses of wine prior to bedtime excessive? What about a shot of whiskey in the morning coffee? The simplest way to find out may be to remove the alcohol from these situations to see what happens.
Unfortunately, an individual might fully understand they have a drinking problem but never seek out an alcohol rehab program. There was a well-known author that talked about his drinking problem and of the time he realized that he was an alcoholic. It was a nasty realization, yet he did not think: "I better find help," he just thought: "I had better be careful." He knew he had a condition, but he did not believe he could live or write without the crutch of alcohol abuse.
Alcohol rehab, however, doesn't have to be voluntary to be effective. Regardless of whether a person is coerced or directed into a treatment program, there is a fairly high rate of success and many people will stay sober after completing the process. That is why interventions by friends and family will often be the initial step for successfully beating the dependency.
An alcohol rehab program will always start with the detoxification stage. A body needs to clear away the toxins that have been causing damage. Giving up this physical addiction can be tough, and it will have a number of withdrawal symptoms that may be extremely serious based on how long and how much a person had been drinking.
After this physical issue has been overcome, though, it's time to do something about the psychological effects. To prevent any kind of relapses and make sure an individual remains clean, a lot of alcohol rehab programs offer continuing support and counseling to help them maintain their sobriety and start a healthier and happier life.
